Princess Adeline of Wales

Chapter Thirteen: The Nightmare

22nd of March 1998 - York House, London

Waking up in the middle of the night, Adeline swallowed at the sound of thunder and she peered towards her window as she listened to the pounding rain outside; she clutched at her duvet as she tried to shake the nightmare from her mind. 

The images lingering even as she closed her eyes and she doubted that they would leave her, she sniffled trying to keep the tears back as the storm raged outside. 

Looking around her bedroom, Adeline sniffled before she threw back the covers and climbed out of her bed; the cold floor made her jump slightly before she scurried for the door. 

Opening it, Adeline peeked outside as she listened for any movement around the house; she hesitated for a moment until another roar of thunder had her running for her father's room down the hall. 

The dark hallways made the sounds of the storm sound so much worse and Adeline was relieved when she finally reached the room that her father called his; a glance over her shoulder confirming that no one was behind her. 

Sniffling as she pushed open the door and peered inside, she hesitated by the door for a moment as she tried to listen for any sounds from her father. 

The sound of his snores told her that he was inside and Adeline felt relief fill her as she tried to see him; the darkness of the room made it difficult for her to see him, his sleeping form offering her little comfort.

Stepping into the room, Adeline slowly made her way towards her father; she hesitated at the foot of bed before a roar of thunder made her jump, she squeaked not expecting it. 

"What? Adeline? Is that you?" Charles croaked half asleep, the sound that she had made having woken him up; he sat up in bed and reached for the bedside light to see what was going on. 

The moment that Charles laid eyes on his daughter, she burst into tears and he quickly pushed back the covers so that he could comfort her; he could not remember the last time that she had come to him like this. 

Wrapping his arms around Adeline, he hugged her close and tried to sooth her wishing that he knew what had upset her so much; the sounds of the storm doing little to help the situation that he was sure.

"Now tell me what is the matter?" Charles said handing her his hankie so that she could wipe her runny nose, he sat on the edge of his bed as he stared at her trying to think what might have upset her. 

Adeline looked down at her feet, she felt rather silly and she knew that she should not have woken him up; she was sure that he would have a busy day ahead of him and she did not want to keep him up. 

"I had a bad dream," Adeline mumbled feeling like a little girl again, she snuffled trying to unblock her nose and she did not want to say anymore; she did not wish to admit what had bothered her so much that she had woken him up. 

Charles frowned at that, he could only imagine what she had dreamt that had brought her to his room; he knew that she was more likely to turn to her brothers for things like this now. 

"What was it about?" Charles asked wanting to get to the bottom of this, he wanted his children to know that no matter how old they were that they could always come to talk with him. 

Adeline was silent for a moment, her blue eyes filling with tears before she started to cry again and it left Charles with no doubts about what she had been dreaming about and why she had come here. 

He should have expected that Diana's death would haunt them and he hated that he had not seen this coming; he had hoped that his children would be spared such dreams and thoughts.